Scranton summit organized by Blake focuses on workforce development

U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson is fond of joking he belongs to a group that is creating tremendous problems for the nation -- and he isn't talking about Congress.

As his fellow Baby Boomers retire, Thompson said Monday at the University of Scranton, the attrition in workforce expertise and competence is one of the most serious economic issues facing the United States. A qualified and trained workforce is more important to success than a good product, a good location or a good marketing plan, he said.

"If you don't have a qualified and trained workforce, you don't have a business," he said.

Thompson, a Centre County Republican who represents Pennsylvania's sprawling 5th Congressional District, was among the presenters at the E2 Summit, organized by state Sen. John Blake, D-22, to examine the importance of career-focused education to the economy.

The summit brought together more than 110 elected officials, educators, business owners, union representatives and professionals in the areas of workforce and economic development to share ideas for better preparing students to meet the need for a skilled, well-educated workforce.

Thompson, who sits on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, said one of the unintended consequences of the No Child Left Behind initiative is that many children were left behind.

Blake said there needs to be better integration of the resources available for workforce development, economic development and education. Education policies in the K-12 system need to align with state economic and workforce development strategies, he said.

"We have an obligation, I think, to step up and do a little bit better on this front," Mr. Blake said.